Tamannaah Bhatia opens up about societal pressure on women to marry early (Source: Instagram/Tamannaah Bhatia)Career choices, especially for women, are often viewed through the lens of societal expectations rather than individual ambition. Actor Tamannaah Bhatia recently shared an incident that highlights this deeply ingrained prejudice. During an interview with journalist Shravan Shah for Varinder Chawla, she recalled, “It was so weird because I was having a meeting with someone else. I was in a hotel, and I went for a meeting, and I was with my father. And the person who owned that hotel, his wife walked up to me and said, ‘You’re such a good Sindhi girl, why are you doing this? You could have been married by now.’”She went on to add, “This is something I was told. And it was so weird because I was having a meeting with someone else. And I’m not here to meet them. But they’ve actually walked up to me, made conversation, exchanged pleasantries and then given me this very strong opinion of theirs.”Tamannaah also reflected on what this meant to her as a young woman at the time: “While I looked at that woman’s face, I actually, very empathetically, as a young girl, felt like that’s because I just don’t want to end up like her. You know, so tone deaf to what women are going through in the whole world. And yeah, I so I feel like that these are like these very critical moments which kind of make you sit up and think.”But why do women, more than men, face pressure and unsolicited comments about marriage timelines?Gurleen Baruah, existential psychotherapist and coach, tells indianexpress.com, “Across many societies, women are still seen through the lens of traditional gender roles — as nurturers, caregivers, and the ones who hold a family together. Historically, their “value” was linked to youth, fertility, and marriageability, while men were viewed as providers, whose social worth was tied to work and status. These deeply ingrained expectations continue to shape behaviour, even today.”She adds that concepts like the “biological clock” are often used to justify why women “should” marry by a certain age, while men are rarely subjected to the same scrutiny. As a result, even women with thriving careers are often judged not for what they achieve, but for how closely they follow this prescribed timeline. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tamannaah Bhatia (@tamannaahspeaks) How do such comments affect a young woman’s sense of identity and confidence in her career path?When someone comments on a woman’s marriage plans, even a stranger, it can feel very personal. Baruah states, “It’s not just about marriage; it’s about being told that your choices or priorities are somehow ‘wrong.’ These remarks can subtly influence how someone perceives themselves. Even if you are confident about your career and life path, repeated comments like this can make you question your decisions or feel like you are falling behind.” The healthiest way for women to respond to or process such unsolicited adviceThere’s no single “right” way to handle such remarks, and pretending they don’t hurt isn’t helpful. It’s natural to feel upset, angry, or even shaken. “What matters is what happens next. Pausing to notice how the comment made you feel, rather than brushing it off immediately, is often the first step. Remind yourself that it reflects someone else’s worldview, not your worth.”Story continues below this ad“Surrounding yourself with people who validate your choices — friends, mentors, support groups — can help rebuild perspective. Therapy can also be valuable, especially for exploring deeper questions around identity and expectations,” concludes Baruah.